Landon Donovan scored a double as LA Galaxy bounced back to form with a 4-1 thrashing of Sporting Kansas City in MLS Week 9 action. With a few recent mediocre performances, the Galaxy flexed their muscle with all three of their big name players getting on the scoresheet at The Home Depot Center after going a goal down six minutes before half-time through an Omar Gonzalez own goal.
Donovan was the first to hit back for the Galaxy with a converted penalty in the 44th minute before making it 2-1 in the first minute of the second half with a neat finish after a one-two for his seventh goal in just eight appearances so far this season.
Juan Pablo Angel was next to do some damage when he tucked his 64th minute attempt away to be the first Galaxy player besides Donovan to score in their last eight goals and when David Beckham produced a superb, and now customary, free-kick in the 87th minute, the match was all wrapped up keeping the Galaxy on top of the Western Conference table.
New York Red Bulls were shocked by an opportunistic Chivas USA outfit, losing 3-2 at Red Bull Arena after coming back twice.
Justin Braun was the man of the moment with a hat-trick for the Goats, scoring in the 6th, 31st and 56th minutes which was enough to edge New York who were served by a Thierry Henry finish (fifth goal in four games) and a Dwayne De Rosario penalty.
They remained top of the East as Chivas stayed seventh with their third victory of the season.
Elsewhere in MLS, Chicago Fire came from two goals down to hold FC Toronto to a 2-2 draw at BMO Field, DC United and Colorado Rapids played out a 1-1 draw in Washington, Shalrie Joseph's converted penalty kick gave New England Revolution a 1-0 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps, Brek Shea celebrated signing a new deal with FC Dallas by scoring in their 2-0 victory over Philadelphia Union as Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo were involved in a scoreless draw in Utah.
San Jose Earthquakes scored a 3-0 win over Columbus Crew despite having ten men for the final ten minutes whilst Portland Timbers held Seattle Sounders to a 1-1 draw at Qwest Field.
2011 MLS season - Week 9 scores
FC Toronto: 2 (Joao Plata 9', Maicon Santos 47') Chicago Fire: 2 (Marco Pappa 63', Orr Barouch 75') BMO Field, Toronto, ON - 18,674
DC United: 1 (Drew Moor 23') Colorado Rapids: 1 (Chris Pontius (p) 62') RFK Stadium, Washington, DC - 12,499
New England Revolution: 1 (Shalrie Joseph (p) 49') Vancouver Whitecaps: 0 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA - 14,186
FC Dallas: 2 (Brek Shea 29', Fabian Castillo 43') Philadelphia Union: 0 Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, TX - 12,109
Real Salt Lake: 0 Houston Dynamo: 0 Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT - 16,301
San Jose Earthquakes: 3 (Chris Wondolowski 50', Steven Lenhart 59', Khari Stephenson 62' - red card: Brandon McDonald 79') Columbus Crew: 0 Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, CA - 9,142
LA Galaxy: 4 (Landon Donovan (p) 44'/46', Juan Pablo Angel 64', David Beckham 87') Sporting Kansas City: 1 (Omar Gonzalez (og) 39') The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA - 19,763
Seattle Sounders: 1 (Alvaro Fernandez 52') Portland Timbers: 1 (Mamadou Danso 65') Qwest Field, Seattle, WA - 36,593
New York Red Bulls: 2 (Thierry Henry 21', Dwayne De Rosario (p) 35') Chivas USA: 2 (Justin Braun 6'/31'/56') Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ - 16,365
